Ivory Vann digs into a brisket sandwich, served free at
Friday's Juneteenth celebration in Elliot Park. The event recalls
the day the last slaves in the U.S. were freed in Galveston, Texas.Special photo by Wendy Burton

Corey S. Krasko * Times Record
Earlton Balles, from left, on alto sax and Kevin Willis on
guitar jam with the Rev. Ronald Myers Sr. during a Jazzy
Tuesday Jam Session for Juneteenth at the Golden Goose
nightclub on North 10th Street. Myers, a physician in
Roland, is the national head of the Juneteenth holiday
movement.

At the Northcott Neighborhood House in Milwaukee, Gov. Jim
Doyle signs a bill that makes Juneteenth Day a legal holiday.
Rev. Ronald Myers (right), who leads a national drive for the
holiday, looks on.(photo by Michael Sears)

Dr. Ronald Myers, Sr. and Governor Jim Doyle
share a moment following the official signing
of the Juneteenth day legislation. (Gov. Doyle
presented a copy of the book
"
Juneteenth a
Celebration of Freedom" by Dr. Myers)(photo by Harry Kemp)

National Juneteenth Theme:"Together we will see Juneteenth Independence Day
become a National Day of Observance America!"

The Rev. Ronald Myers, founder and national chairman of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation,
congratulates 94-year-old Elbert Theodore Link who was presented the 2010 National Juneteenth Military
Honors Award in Washington on Saturday.
(Submitted photo)

Proud members of the U.S. Army from Fort Wainwright, AK and Fort Greeley, AK, along with Delta Junction, AK
Mayor
Mary Leith-Dowling, Fairbanks, AK NAACP President Tilmon Taylor, Fairbanks, AK School Board Vice-President, Wendy
Dominique,
Dr. Ron Myers, Bishop Dave Thomas and staff representatives of Congressman Don Young, Lt. Governor Craig
Campbell, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Mark Begich attended a Juneteenth Military Honors Awards Reception and Wreath
Laying Ceremony in honor of African American amry engineers who built the
Alaska Alcan Highway and
completed the
Chief
Sikinna River Bridge on October 28, 1942. Lt. Colonel Timothy Jones and Lt. Colonel Chris Chronis spoke passionately
about the important accomplishments of the completion of the
Alaska Alcan Highway
during World War II.
Dr. Ron Myers,
National Juneteenth Jazz Artist and accomplished jazz musician, performed an original composition on pocket trumpet in
honor of the African American army engineers entitled "Alcan."

Bogalusa artist Alvin Carter stands next to one of his
paintings at his former studio on Columbia Street.
Carter, known for his colorful murals and paintings
depicting the African American struggle, died Friday
at the age of 66.
DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO

Nationally recognized Bogalusa artist Alvin Carter works on a piece he will
present to President Barack Obama on 'Juneteenth,' June 19, in Washington D.C.
Carter will have an Open House, exhibit and registration for his summer art
classes Saturday at his studio, just off Columbia Street on E. 4th Street.
DAILY NEWS PHOTO/Marcelle Hanemann

Governor Deval Patrick shook hands with children after
signing a proclamation on Juneteenth in Dorchester
yesterday. Massachusetts follows 24 states that have
recognized the date.
(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)

Ralph Browne, Director of the Massachusetts Juneteenth
Holiday Campaign, stands before his house on How Street flanked
by two flags that celebrate Juneteenth, the holiday he recently
helped get recognized by Massachusetts as the end of slavery.
Dave Benoit, photographer

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT A. REEDER -- THE WASHINGTON POST
Juneteenth honors "a time when everyday Americans faced
the most daunting challenges. . . and still persevered," Sen. Barack
Obama said this week. He is joined by Kenton Sparrow, left, and others
at news conference.

"Juneteenth" or
"19th of June", is a celebration of the end of enslavement in America. Although rumors of freedom were widespread prior to this, the announcement of emancipation did not come until Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to read
General Order No. 3, on the
"19th of June", 1865. This was more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the
Emancipation Proclamation.

Some remaining states, including
South Dakota and
Montana and have recognized Juneteenth through Gubernatorial Proclamations.

In 1996, during the 104th Congress, historic legislation was introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Rose Collins (D-MI),
House Joint Resolution 125, and passed the House of Representatives, recognizing
"Juneteenth as the day of celebrating the end of slavery in the United States
and as the true day of independence for African-Americans in this country."

In 1997, during the 105th Congress, a historic joint Juneteenth resolution was passed by the Congress of the
United States through
Senate Joint Resolution 11, introduced by Senator Trent Lott (R-MS), and
House Joint Resolution 56, introduced by Congressman J. C. Watts, Jr. (R-OK), recognizing the
"19th of June" as Juneteenth Independence Day in America.

When a state passes legislation to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or state holiday observance, the NJOF works with the Juneteenth Organizations in that state
to pass legislation for the creation of a State Juneteenth Commission. Through the State Juneteenth Commission, curriculum is developed to teach the history of slavery to freedom through Juneteenth
in the public schools, projects are developed to preserve the history of the legacy of slavery to freedom through historic landmarks, monuments and other key historical projects and Juneteenth Celebrations and Festivals
are supported through tourism and economic development resources in the state.

The MAAFA is a Kiswahili term for "terrible occurrence" or
"great disaster".
It refers to the
Black Holocaust when millions of Africans died during the journey of captivity from the west coast of Africa to
the shores of America, known as the
Middle Passage.
Our ancestors died in the belly of slave ships or choose death by jumping into the sea rather than live in captivity.

It is a remembrance of the thousands of African Americans lynched and murdered
before and after the end of enslavement. This especially includes the
Red Summer of 1919 and the
Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, considered the worst
domestic terrorist event in U.S. history.